Feathers
by DontTrustACryBaby
Summary: For fifteen years all Castiel had known was a cell. He knew nothing of the outside world or of anything further than the confines of the secret government lab on the edge of Nebraska. - I'm so bad at descriptions so I just took the first line. - May contain trigger warnings later on. - X NOT EDITED X - Supernatural and it's characters belong to the creators
1. Escape Of The Century

For fifteen years all Castiel had known was a cell. He knew nothing of the outside world or of anything further than the confines of the secret government lab on the edge of Nebraska.

His whole life he had grown accustomed to people dressed in white, needles and seemingly endless pain.

In the facility he wasn't the only one. All four of his brothers and sister also stayed locked in the seemingly exit-less walls of science. They had all grown up here. Removed from their parents care when Castiel was born, none of them had been older than four at the time. Gabriel, Anna, Samandriel, and Balthazar all couldn't remember what it was like to live in a semi-normal home. The memory of their parents, home, and even each other was all forgotten.

They all spent their time locked in separate rooms with medical professionals and scientists constantly monitoring their every move. Many of the workers in the program neglected the children. They didn't see such beasts as human and chose to have them kept unclothed and in cage like spaces. While some people disagreed with the treatment nothing was done about it and nothing ever changed.

It wasn't at all abnormal to the five individuals. It was how they remembered their whole life being.

Very few government officials inside the United States knew about the abnormal teens under lock down on the border of Nebraska. The part of the military that worked around the facility worked very hard a their job at keeping all information collected in the area from the public.

To anyone who didn't know about the teens the world kept spinning and remained, for the most part, normal.

Castiel sat in the corner of his familiar room with a piece of charcoal in hand. The once white walls of his cells had become filled with pictures from his imagination over the years. He didn't know where the ideas came from or what they were, but he loved the sight of them on the walls.

Jumping up from the floor he used his wings to keep him balanced. The wings on his back draped down past his feet and the tips drug across the floor as he walked. Stretching, he shook his big black wings, a few feathers came loose and drifted to the ground.

He yawned and wandered to a big cushion that sat in the opposite corner. Sitting down he looked at the lights on the ceiling. They were dimly lit which met it was night time.

Shifting his right wing he curled it around himself and laid down on it. The other wing came up and curled around his top, much like a blanket. He brought his feet up toward his body and curled up in a ball. The room was slightly chilly, but it always was. Ruffling his feathers his bony hand came up to touch a small bald patch on his left wing where doctors had removed some of his feathers. A small bump could be felt just below the skin.

 _"It's just a tracking chip. It won't hurt you."_ He remembered what the doctors had told him. Not sure what a tracking chip was he decided to just go along with it. If it didn't hurt it must be good.

After a while he felt his eyes close as he dozed off into a somewhat peaceful sleep.

"Castiel can you tell me what this is?" Meg held up a small piece of paper with a picture on it.

Meg had always been Castiel's favorite. Every day she came into his cell with him and they talked and played games. Though she had went to school to become a teacher she had ended up in the army and later ended up here. In a top secret facility teaching gifted kids that no one outside knew existed.

Six year old Castiel shifted his wings behind himself and grabbed the picture from Meg's fingers. Smelling it he stuck the paper in his mouth. The paper soaked up the moisture from his tongue and he gagged.

"No you don't eat that." Meg grabbed the paper from his mouth and laughed. She held it up again even though it was now soaked. "Do you know what it is?"

"F- feefer."

"It's a feather Castiel. Can you say feather?"

"Feether."

"Close enough." Meg picked up her bag from the floor and turned to leave. Castiel whimpered and ran in front of her and spread out his wings and held out his hands. "I have to go." Meg smiled sadly when Castiel pouted. "I'm sorry I'll be back tomorrow, I promise."

That day was the first, but not the last time that Castiel cried himself to sleep.

When Castiel was seven he was up to the same education as a kid in a normal school system would have been. Through teaching Meg grew attached to all the five winged kids in the building.

On the day of Castiel's eighth birthday the government gave the organization permission to perform experiments on all five children.

Meg had been the only worker in the facility to protest against the experiments. They had fired her that day.

Castiel didn't know what happened to nice lady with the kind smile and the flash cards, only that he never saw her around after the day all hell broke loose in the lab.

Over and over the scientists worked to uncover the secrets of the children. By the time that a session was over with one they would be testing another. Every time the doors to their cells opened they fought and tried their hardest to escape the torture, but it was no use. As soon as a needle entered their skin they were out cold.

Castiel uncurled his wings and jumped up from the cushion that he had been sleeping on as soon as he heard the bolt to the door shift.

Spreading his wings out behind him he got ready for a fight. However the door didn't open. After a few minutes he let himself relax. With one swish of his wings he pushed himself towards the door. There was a loud crash outside and he froze. A screamed echoed through the space and then silence.

Slowly he made his way to the door and pulled on it to find it unlocked. In all his life he could only remember stepping outside the room three times in fifteen years. Opening the door he could see flashing from a light that hung down from the ceiling, it only remained connected by one wire.

Cautiously he slipped out of the room. A few drops of blood were tricked across the floor and a few stray feathers laid scattered on the title. Picking one up he looked at it. It was different than his, instead of black it was brown with a bit of gold laced into it. It was actually beautiful, he had never seen any other feathers other than his own.

There was a crash down the hall to the right and another scream. He dropped the feather and hid against the wall folding his wings as tight to his body as he could. Just as he was about to go into the hallway someone who wasn't looking where they were going almost ran into him.

As soon as they saw him a panicked expression slipped across their face. They didn't stop running and took off down the hallway on the opposite side of the room. Castiel crooked his head sideways in confusion and stepped out from hiding. Keeping his back to the first hallway he looked to where the person had left. It seemed like the people were scared of him, but why would that be?

The air was knocked out of him as some one tackled him from behind. Using his wings he bashed them against his attacker. Suddenly there was a swish of air and the thing was above him. He rolled to the side before they could jump on him.

Growling he turned on the assailant and jumped at them. Using his wings he struggled to gain an upper hand. Suddenly something heavy collided with his head and he fell.

Everything stopped and he looked to whatever had just attacked him. The person standing before him seemed to be in just as much shock as he was. Shaking his head he remained on the floor. He ears were ringing.

"Are you okay? I didn't know you were like me."

The other winged boy offered a hand to Castiel. Taking his hand they both turned their heads when there was the sound of glass breaking. The light bulb that had been hanging from the ceiling now laid in a pill of smashed glass on the floor.

"I'm Gabriel."

"Castiel."

"Do you know who let us out?"

Castiel shook his head. He didn't know, maybe it was a mistake that they had gotten out.

"Do you know if there are anymore of us?"

Once again Castiel shook his head.

"You don't talk a whole lot do you?"

Staying silent Castiel rubbed his head, there was a bump forming where Gabriel had hit him. Gabriel moved to the hallway where the light was brighter. Castiel looked at his wings then and saw the golden color that he had seen on the feathers scattered across the room. The teen had hair and eyes to match.

White turned to red unexpectedly as a loud and high pitched noise echoed through the building. "Well I guess that's a hint to leave. Come on." Grabbing Castiel's hand he took off down the hallway.

They came to another room after a bit of running. This one wasn't so empty and held a few doctors and scientists who seemed to be working frantically and panicked. They all stopped when two of their experiments burst into the room.

"Fuck." Gabriel whispered under his breath. Castiel had no idea what that word meant but if it was being used in this scenario it couldn't have been good.

A panic broke out in the room and a few people ran while others came at them with tranquilizers. Jumping in front of Castiel Gabriel spread out his wings as far as they would go. Two of the doctors stopped and backed up, but one continued to advance. Flapping his wings Gabriel sent the doctor stumbling to the ground.

"Get out! Leave!" The doctor yelled at the few remaining people who took off in all directions.

"Come on!" Gabriel took off down the hallway that the most doctors had escaped down. There had to be an exit somewhere.

Castiel followed close behind, but found it hard to keep up. After all the time in a cramped cell he had never gotten much physical activity. He also had a few stitches from various degrees of experimenting that the doctors had completed just a few days before.

After a few more turns they came to a door with a red exit sign over it. Gabriel pushed on the door in an attempt to open it, but found it firmly shut. "UGH! COME ON!" He punched it with one last attempt, it didn't budge.

Castiel turned his back toward the direction they had come. Yelling could be heard from down the hall.

"Back up! We need back up! Two caught, one in sights and two missing. I repeat! Send back up!"

Castiel turned to Gabriel in panic. He didn't want to go back.

"Don't worry I'll figure something out. Follow me."

Castiel followed Gabriel down the hallway past the exit door and into a large room with a glass ceiling. Castiel looked up at it in wonder. Little white and sparkling dots littered a seemingly black background. "What is that?"

Smiling Gabriel looked up and stretched. "That my friend is the sky."

Studying it Castiel noticed it was much like the images that always appeared in his head. Maybe all the thoughts he had were real.

"Whoever built this was an idiot, but at least they are helping us."

"How do we get up?"

Gabriel looked around for a minute, but finally just looked at his wings. "Have you ever flew?"

Castiel shook his head. He hadn't ever gotten the chance to actually fly. The most he had done was slightly jumping from one edge of his room to the other.

"Well if you want to escape you're gonna have to try. I'll fly through and try to break the glass, you follow after that okay?"

Nodding Castiel looked paranoid to the doorway.

"We don't have long so-" He was interrupted when someone came crashing through the glass doors. Glass scattered across the room and grayish wings curled around the person to protect them as they slide through the glass shards.

Stumbling, the kid stood up from the wreckage and froze, eyes wide and staring Castiel and Gabriel. He was skinny and slightly skittish.

"Guess we have another. Have you flown before?" The boy shook his head. "Well you're both hopeless... Okay just follow me then. This might hurt." Turning quickly Gabriel spread out his wings and launched himself into the air. The ceiling was high, but he didn't have long to get to a speed high enough to break the glass.

With on last push he flung himself into the glass. It broke without much resistance, but Gabriel barley stayed in flight. Shaking his head he took to the sky, he wanted to get as far out of range of guns as he could.

Down below Castiel and the other winged boy stood with their arms over their heads to protect themselves from falling glass. After it stopped Castiel looked up to the sky. The grey-wing boy didn't waste any time and took off with a shaky and slightly hurried start.

Castiel watched as he almost fell back down, but righted himself just in time. He took a few steps back. He was sure that with a running start he would be able to get up.

Taking a deep breath he ran a few steps and jumped bringing his wings down at the same time. Once in the air Castiel struggled gain elevation. Just as he figured it out and began to rise further from the floor a group of military officials stormed into the room.

Aiming their guns the commander ordered one person to take a shot. Their goal was to capture, not kill. Castiel was almost past the opening of the roof when he heard the shot. A pain erupted in his shoulder and he lost control. Crashing into the glass of the roof he used his wings to direct himself to the edge before he could fall.

A piece of glass that jutted out from the opening cut his leg while he pulled himself up. After crawling out of the roof he stood up and looked around for Gabriel. A few hundred feet up he could see two pairs of wings.

He winced at the pain in his shoulder. Luckily his wing felt fine meaning that it hadn't been hit. The warmth of blood could be felt running down his back. Not knowing how bad it was he spread his wings and took off into the air.

His head spun and he faltered. Suddenly Gabriel flew next to him. "Here." He held out his hand and Castiel grabbed it. "We'll go as high as we can and then glide. It takes less energy."

They rose into the sky at a slow but steady pace. When they were a few more hundred feet up Gabriel let go of Castiel and shifted to fly beside him. "Just spread your wing and fly straight. Try to catch the wind."

Castiel did as Gabriel said and after a few tries succeeded.

After a few minutes he felt the adrenaline slowly leave his body. The pain in his shoulder was greater than ever and he was afraid that he might pass out.

"Hey stay with me." Gabriel said when he noticed Castiel start to doze off. "Just a bit longer then we can land. You good?" He turned his head in the direction of the other boy who nodded. "I didn't catch your name." He yelled over the wind.

"Samandriel."

Gabriel kept watch of the ground. Everything seemed quiet, they seemed to be in the middle of nowhere. "Okay, I think we're good."

They all glided down towards the ground and found a clearing. Upon landing Gabriel and Samandreil landed pretty smoothly, but Castiel had a difficult time and tumbled to a stop on the ground.

He sat up with a wince. His whole body ached and the pain in his shoulder was almost unbearable. After taking a few deep breaths he looked around. Underneath his naked body the ground felt weird. Looking around he noticed he was sitting in a patch of tall grass.

Curiously he felt it between his toes. Despite the pain in in his body he laughed. Meg had always told him of things outside his room, but he hadn't believed they had actually existed.

"Castiel! Where are you?!" Gabriel's voice could barely be heard over a rushing sound to Castiel's left.

"Here!"

"Wow that looks like it hurt." Gabriel looked at the trail that led to were Castiel was seated. The grass had been flattened.

Samandriel stood behind Gabriel but smiled up at the sky and spread his wings. "I didn't picture this. I can't believe we're outside. Like seriously this is awesome..."

Ignoring the blabbering boy Gabriel knelt next to Castiel. "Turn." Castiel did as he was told and Gabriel looked at the wound on his back. "It doesn't look good, but I don't know what to do."

Castiel stood up shakily and shook the dust from his wings. He was curious about the sound next to them so slowly he made his way towards it, the cut on his leg caused him to limp.

"Where you going?" Gabriel followed him with Samandriel in tow.

When they arrived at the river Castiel sat at the edge and scooped water into his mouth with his hands. The water was cold, but not exactly clean. After drink some Castiel waded into the water up to his thighs. It was freezing against his skin. Splashing water into his wings he enjoyed the fresh feeling.

Gabriel's and Samandriel's faces both lit up at the sight of water and they followed Castiel right in.

To be con't...

 **I know it's kinda a weird ending, but that's as much as I could think of of this chapter. If you read it and liked it please give this chapter a vote and leave a comment saying what you thought.**

 **Thank you!**


	2. Good Grades Deserve Milkshakes

**So sorry for the long wait on this chapter I've just been busy and then had to deal with writers block on top of that. I know this chapter might not be great, but it's what I got. X Warnings in this chapter are mentions of alcoholism and child abuse X Nothing big, but thought I'd give a heads up anyway.**

"Load up kiddo!" Dean leans forward in the drivers seat of the Impala as he pulls into the school parking lot. Sam runs toward the car with his backpack slung over his shoulder. "We are going somewhere special."

"Where to?"

"Cafe La Grande."

Sam rolls his eyes and jumps into the front seat. "I'm not sure that's a special place Dean. We go there almost every week."

"Well this is a special occasion so it's different. Just shut your pie hole and buckle up."

"Jerk."

A smile creeps across Dean's face. "Bitch."

-  
They pull into the cafe parking lot in silence. Sam has been in deep thought the whole ride, he can't take his eyes off the cut on Dean's lip.

He finally decides to speak up. "Dad comin'?"

Dean's features darken. "No. He's busy."

"Being drunk you mean." Dean's eyes widen a bit. "I'm not stupid Dean I know when somethings off. He hit you again didn't he? That's what the cut on your lip is from."

"No...well yeah, but I deserved it. Dropped a glass and made a mess. He's sorry. It's fine." Dean worries his lip with his teeth and the cut opens again. He licks the blood uo with his tongue.

"It's not fine. He shouldn't do that."

Dean smiles weakly at his younger brother. "As long as he keeps his hands off you it's worth it." He reaches over and ruffles Sam's hair. "You need to cut this mop."

Sam pushes Dean away playfully. "Do it later?"

"You're gonna let me cut your hair?"

Sam looks at him through his lashes. "Long as you keep it reasonable."

Looking offended Dean smirks. "When am I ever unreasonable?" Sam rolls his eyes for the second time that day.

"You're always unreasonable."

"I have a right to be with you fucking stuff up all the time. Gotta keep you out of trouble don't I?" Sam narrows his eyes at the curse word and smiles.

"Me? You're the one always fu-

"Language." Dean warns.

"You said it!"

Dean laughs. "Well I'm seventeen and you're twelve. There a difference."

"Fine. What are we doing here?"

"Glad you asked." Dean steps out of the car and Sam climbs out the drivers side after him. Dean shakes his head but smiles anyway. "Why don't you use your own damn door?" He shuts the door and heads into the cafe with Sam trailing after him "Figured you could use a treat with he grades you have at school. Straight A's? Hell, I've never had them."

"Guess only one child gets brains." Dean clips Sam playfully on the back of the head.

"Just cause I can't to math doesn't mean I'm not smart." He wraps his arm around Sam's shoulder and leads him to a bench. After Sam slides in Dean moves to the other side of the table and sits.

When the waitress comes over Dean looks her up and down before ordering. "I'll take a milkshake. Chocolate. Sammy?" He gestures toward the younger Winchester.

"Vanilla please."

"That all for you guys?" The girl asks.

"That will do." Dean pulls a ten from his pocket and hands it to the girl. "Keep the rest as a tip." She smiles gratefully, Dean watches her as she walks away.

"My god can you think of anything else?" Dean looks up to find Sam with a raised eyebrow.

"What just checking the playing field."

"You can play girls like they're games Dean."

Dean smirks and raises an eyebrow back. "And what would you know about girls?" Sam blushes and looks down at the table and Dean laughs. "You got a girl Sammy?"

"We're just friends."

The eyes of the eldest Winchester widen. "When do I get to meet the lucky girl who has hold of my baby brother?"

"Stop." Sam's blushing hard now. "It's not like that."

"Give it time." Dean leans back with an arm on the back of the seat. Sam can see the bruise that's starting to form over his brothers lip.

"Did you actually break a glass?"

"Huh?" It takes him a minute to remember what Sam's talking about. "No. It doesn't matter though."

"Yeah it does. We should tell someone." Sam looks at Dean pleadingly.

Dean shakes his head. "He said he's sorry. Nothing to do about it now."

"He says that every time Dean." Sam plays with the condensation on the edge of his glass of water.

"Well it's true. I only get what's coming to me. He's only doing his job."

Sam gives up fighting, it's not worth it. It ends the same way every time. "I guess. What did you do though?"

Dean plays with ring on his finger. It was something their father had given him after their mother had passed. "I took money from the safe." Sam's eyes go wide.

"Why you do that? You knew he'd get mad."

"I was hoping he wouldn't notice. Or maybe he wouldn't care since it was for you."

"For me?"

"Yeah that's what I used to pay for this."

Sam looks around fearfully. "You mean the money you gave the waitress." Dean nods. "Why would you do something so stupid?!"

"Keep your voice down." Dean looks at the guy at the bar wearily when the man turns around. After a second the guy decides to mind his own business and turns back to the counter. "I wanted to give you something for doing so well. I know we don't live the best, but I want to make sure you get fun moments. You're still a kid."

Sam smiles sadly. "Yeah well so are you."

"I haven't been one for a while."

"Well you should be."

They sit at the cafe talking for hours. Neither if them is in a rush to go home for fear of their father.

John hadn't always been the town alcoholic, but a year after their mother had died in a house fire that title was given to him. That had been nearly 10 years ago. Since then both boys had been dragged through hell and back. Many of the people in the town know about their plight, but many are fearful of what might happen to them if they stepped in.

At school Dean shows up with new bruises covering his skin everyother day and nobody says anything. Even the teachers brush it off knowing that the boy wouldn't want them to pry.

Only a handful of times has there been marks visible on the younger Winchester's skin. Not many know why that's the case, but a select few people know how much trouble Dean goes through to keep his old man's hands off his baby brother.

Dean stands up from the cafe table after telling Sam to work on his homework. The boy doesn't waste time digging out an unfinished essay out of his school bag and getting to work. Dean's never understood his brothers love for schoolwork, he guesses it's just something to pass the time.

The girl at the counter raises her eyes from a book she's reading and smiles as Dean approaches. "Is there something I can do for you?" She seems to know what's up.

"Just wondering if you're free later." He jumps to the point with a sly smile.

She looks back down at her book. "You look alot like your old man." Dean's smile wavers. "Winchester, right? He comes in here more than most."

"I'm guessing that means your not." Closing the book she sets in next to the register.

"No, only that your gonna have to work harder than that to redeem him."

Dean chews his thumb nail for a second and wipes it on his jeans. "Challenge accepted."

Sam's still working on his homework when Dean strides across the cafe and slides back into the bench. A new milkshake sits in front of Sam. "I don't have any money for that." Dean mentions at the shake.

Sma nods and flicks his pencil on the table without looking up. "Yeah it's free."

"Why?"

"Guess the guy behind the bar felt bad that my brother was having more fun than me." Sam smirks when Dean's cheeks redden. "That poor girl. Can you keep your mind out of the gutter for one night?"

"Hey she wanted to. I wouldn't have done anything if she'd said no. Also no, that's who I am."

"A horny teenager?"

Dean reaches over and ruffles Sam's hair harshly. When he's done Sam's hair hangs down in his eyes. "You'll get it someday. No rush."

"God I hope not." The younger Winchester shakes his head and packs up his homework. He spots a guy over Dean's shoulder and huffs. "Looks like you've got an admirer."

"What?" Dean looks over his shoulder and his eyes widen. Turning back he covers his face with his hands and rubs his eyes. "The hell is he doing here?"

"His name's Aaron, right? You gonna ask him out?" Sam teases. "He wants you to."

"Yeah I know what he wants, but no. Let's go." Dean picks up Sam's bag as he walks by and Sam follows.

The ride home is full of dread. Neither brother knows how their dad is going to be or if he's even home. Pulling into the driveway Dean motions to Sam to stay in the car and jumps out. He finds the door of the house locked and sighs, he forgot the house key.

Sam joins him shortly after and they seek to the back door. Lucky for them it's unlocked. The door creeks as it opens. Sam stays behind his brother as they sneak through the house. There are bottles littering the floor beside the couch and they both hold their breath at the sound of snores from their dad's bedroom. Dean knows that John rarely wakes up after he's asleep, but the sound still keeps him on edge.

Dean grabs Sam's arm and pushes him ahead toward his bedroom while he stays behind and carefully shuts their dad's door. After the door clicks shut he breathes a sigh of relief and makes his way towards his bedroom.

His bed sits on the floor, unsupported by a frame. Their dad had broken it on one of his bad days and Dean hadn't gotten a new one.

He worries his lip a bit and the scabbed cut reopens. The taste of blood is nothing new.  
There's a picture of their mom sitting on the dresser next to the mattress. He remembers her, she was always happy, gentle and loved her family. People had always said she was a god send to John who didn't deserve her.

Shedding his flannel Dean tosses it to the ground and steps out of his pants. After changing into a new pair of boxers he lays down on the bed and stares at the ceiling.

There the sound of a door knob clicking out of place in the house and Dean sits up and listens. Drunken steps echo through the house and Dean stands up. Carefully he makes his way to Sam's room making sire to go quickly and quietly. There the sound of movement in the kitchen and he slinks into the young Winchester's room.

Sam is curled up under his bed wrapped in a blanket. He seems to be completely asleep. Dean shuts the door and locks it. He taps Sam's shoulder and the younger boy jumps, he wasn't asleep. "Hey it's okay." He lays a gentle hand on Sam's and nods toward the door. "I locked him out."

"I'm scared." Sam's eyes fill with tears.

Dean feels slightly angered at the sight. Their dad's the cause of the look in his brothers eyes. No kid should be scared of the father but he has a right to be. "You're okay. If he gets in go out the window."

Sam nods and crawls out from under the bed and wraps himself around Dean's arm. "I won't leave you though."

"Yes you will. If I can't get out you have to go. You remember where Bobby's is, right?" Sam nods. "Okay let's get some sleep."

They both crawl up onto Sam's bed. Dean sits against the wall while Sam leans his head against his brothers chest. Dean wraps his arm protectively around Sam and plays with his hair with the other. "You need a hair cut, Samantha."

"Jerk." Sam snuggles closure to his brother. Dean smiles.

"Bitch."

They sleep all night peacefully. Dean wakes with a slight kink in his neck from sleeping against the wall. He smiles at his sleeping brother before getting up from the bed.

He unlocks the door and checks both ways down the hallway before slipping out and closing the door gently behind him. There doesn't seem to be anyone in the house and Dean knows that his dad is most likely gone. He still checks the whole house anyway, making sure it's safe to get Sam up.

The water in the shower is cold as it runs down his back. They don't really have much hot water these days and he likes to save it for Sam. Of course when Sam asks him later he will say there was plenty.

His clothes stick to his wet skin, but that's okay, they will dry. Towels aren't a necessity to his father so they never had any.

When he arrives in Sam's bedroom the younger boy is still asleep. Drool runs across his cheek and drips onto the mattress. The house is a little chilly in the morning because along with no hot water they also don't have a heater.

Dean licks his finger and sticks it in Sam's ear. Sam jumps up from the bed with a yelp. His hair is plastered to one side of his face. "The hell Dean!"

"Come on rise and shine Sammy!" Dean ruffles his brothers hair and Sam glares. If looks could kill Dean would be dead. "Last day of school."

Sam rolls back into his bed and groans. "I don't want to go."

"Since when?" Sam doesn't speak up and doesn't move so Dean drags him and the blanket off the bed. Sam and lands on the floor with a thud, but only let's out another groan in protest. "You are a pain in my ass."

That gets a reaction as Sam giggles. He hides his smile under his arm that's draped across his face.

"Get up, get a shower and meet me in the kitchen. Fifteen minutes or I drag you out of the house in your underwear."

Breakfast isn't much. Just a piece of toast and some milk. It's not great, but better than nothing. Sam downs his in seconds and seems hungry still. Dean offers his toast and forces Sam to take it when he refuses.

They jump in the Impala and head off. On their way Sam asks Dean to drop him off three blocks from the school. Dean frowns, "Why would I do that?"

"I promises Jessica I would walk he to school." Dean's eyebrows raise.

"So Jessica, that's the girl."

Sam blushes and Dean knows he's hit the target. "Sure I'll drop you off. On one condition."

"What?"

"You have to kiss her."

Sam's eyes widen. "Nope. Sorry but that's not happening."

"Well then I guess we're not stopping."

"Please Dean. Please?" Sam gives his best puppy eyes. Something his brother can't resist.

"Okay. Okay fine, but you owe me."

"Do not."

"Stop making that face." Dean laughs at Sam's pathetic looking pout. "I can't take you seriously."

That just makes Sam do it more.

"Okay you don't owe me. Just stop or its gonna get stuck like that."


	3. Chance Meeting

Castiel's breathing comes in short gasps as he runs through the trees. He doesn't know where Gabriel or Samandriel have disappeared to, but he's sure they aren't far.

The barking of dogs echoes through the forest and keeps the boy on his toes. It seems like hours have passed, realistically it has only been a few minutes. He trips and stumbles when the edge of one of his wings collides with a tree branch that's stuck out into his path.

He comes down hard on the packed dirt. His chin hits the ground and he tastes the coppery warmth of blood from his tongue. His leg aches from where the glass from the lab had sliced it open and he is sure the bullet wound on his shoulder had reopened after his run in with a tree earlier on in the chase.

Pulling himself up with what little strength he has left he bolts for the cliff that he can see on the edge of the tree line.

 _I won't be caught. I won't be caught_. He repeats over and over in his head. _I can not go back. Not now. Not ever._

As soon as he reaches the tree line he stops abruptly. The howl of dogs can still be heard behind him. A single tear runs silently down his cheek before he makes the finally decision to jump. As his wings spread out behind him he struggles to keep them open. The pain in his shoulder is almost unbearable and he falters, suddenly he finds himself plugging toward the trees at a dangerous speed. After a few panicked seconds he opens his wings again and glides a few feet.

The landing is rough and he can't keep his footing once he touches the ground. He sits panting for a few minutes. The sound of dogs is far off and he's no longer concerned about that as much as he is about the whereabouts of his friends. Crickets have started to chirp and the sun barley makes itself known through the tops of the trees.

A single gunshot rings in his ears and he looks up in another fit of panic. He wings beat to steadily him and he stands. His stomach rumbles in protest and his head spins with lack of energy, but addrinaline pumps steadily through his veins.

Soon two shapes take form in front of him and he backs up. One collapses and the other bends down next to him. The dim lighting makes it hard for Castiel to see who the people are.

"Castiel!" The one form cries out. They seem to be desperate and that's enough to get Castiel to show himself. "Thank God." Gabriel seems relieved. "I can't believe- I though we lost you." Tears gleam off his face in the moonlight. "At least two of us made it, huh?"

Castiel looks down the the form on the ground and knows it's Samandriel. His brown hair sticks to his sweaty forehead and he has his hands wrapped around Gabriel's wrist belonging to the hand pressed against his stomach. Castiel runs forward and rests next to him in the grass.

"Please. I- it- it hurts." Samandriel's eyes are full of tears. His fingers have turned white where he's gripping onto Gabriel.

"Help him." Castiel looks frantic.

Gabriel sighs. "I can't."

"Why?"

"I'm no doctor Castiel!" Castiel winces at the harsh sadness of Gabriel's tone. His eyes relaxed again as he looks to the dying boy. "I'm sorry..." He tries not to cry.

The dogs and hunters seem to have disappeared. There is nothing but the choked sobs coming from Samandriel to fill the woods. Castiel's heart drops to his stomach everytime he hears the other boy take a shallow breath. His eyes are closed now, probably due to pain, but he still continues to breath which for the time being is enough.

"What now?" Castiel can feel every ache in his body now that the adrenaline has slowed. He just wants to sleep. Why can't they just catch a break.

"We keep going. There's got to be someone out there who will help us." Gabriel looks up at the rising moon and wipes the sweat from his brow. Samandriel seems to have given into the tiredness of losing to much blood and is passed out in the dirt. Carefully, Gabriel stands and lifts Samandriel careful to avoid jostling him to much.

The boy whimpers in his unconscious state, but other than that doesn't respond to being moved. They trudge foward, away from where they had come.

"'m tired." Castiel drags his wings behind his frame and goosebumps appear on his flesh from the cold. It had been only a few hours since they had began walking, but the sun was setting quickly. What was it that people wore. Clothes? Yeah, he could use some of them.

"Yeah I know. Just hold on." Gabriel continues forward and Castiel follows close behind.

Samandriel doesn't wake up through hours of walking and a few times Gabriel is forced to set him down and take a rest. The good thing is that he doesn't seem to be getting any worse. The blood clots over the wound, but his breathing remains ragged. Many times Castiel worries when the boy seems to stop breathing, he always starts again.

It's morning when they spot the first sight of any civilization they've seen in days. There's a flutter in Castiel's chest when the lights come into view down in a valley. Gabriel gently sets Samandriel down and the boy let's out a cry of pain before settling down again.

"He's getting worse." Gabriel stretches his wings and beats the dust and tree needles out of them. A few of the golden feathers are stuck together from when tree sap had dripped from the trees and seeped into them. "I don't know how much longer I can carry him."

Castiel stayes silent and peers down the valley. This seems to be a town. They're not sure how people will react to them, but it doesn't really matter at this point because if they don't get help Samandriel will die.

Castiel points to the lights when Gabriel glances in his direction.

"I know. We have to be smart about this." Gabriel sighs and folds his wings against his sides once again.

"I'll go."

Gabriel shakes his head. "And if you don't come back?"

Castiel's features formed into a pout. He could do it even if Gabriel didn't want him to. He knew he could.

Gabriel sighs and looks at the dying body of their friend for a second. "Fine Castiel, but if you're not back in a day I'm doing something myself."

Castiel nods and with a determined expression takes to the sky.

xxxxxxx

Sam is sprawled out on his bed studying when the front door opens and closes with a slam. He knows it's John. It's always best to keep you head down when he's around so he continues to study.

"What are you doin' son." John appears in the doorway and leans his heavy form on the wood.

"Studying." Flipping another page he looks up at his father. He seems sober for the most part, maybe a bit tired. Dark spots line his eyes.

"Know where your brother is?"

"No. Out with a girl I think." He tucks a strand of loose hair behind his ear, but it's too short and falls back to its original spot in his face.

"Need to get you a hair cut. Starting to look like a girl yourself."

Sam tries to hid a frown and goes back to reading his book hoping his dad will just leave him at peace. After a few moments he notices John's still standing in the doorway.

"You okay dad?"

"Yeah 'm fine. Just somethings been on my mind. I need to apologize."

"Yeah?"

"I realize that I may have been to hard on you the other day. I left a nasty bruise. When I saw you this morning, that on your face, I knew I had gone to far. It won't happen again."

Sam rubs the bruise on his cheek. Nobody had mentioned it at school. They knew by now to stay out of the Winchester's lives. "It's alright."

His father nods before turning back to the living room.

Unlike Dean, Sam found it hard to forgive their father for the things he did. It was wrong period. No matter how many times an apology came he wasn't a person to trust and Sam knew that. It always happened again.

xxxxxxxx

Dean pours the remainder of his beer in the grass of his friend's yard, but it doesn't go unnoticed.

"You alright, Dean?" Gordon pears up at him at the edge of the pool. The kids dark skin reflects with the lights under the water.

"Yeah. Just have to get home soon."

Benny chuckles in one of the chairs next to them, his eyes remain closed. "Should we worry?"

"No I just need a clear head."

"Have to deal with daddy dearest I imagine." Lisa takes that exact moment to walk out of the house, beer in hand.

"Come on guys. He's not that bad." Dean tries to defend his father. None of the others look convinced. "Guys seriously! He's fine."

"Can't imagine you're brother would agree with that. Don't think we haven't seen that bruise on him." Gordon speaks up.

Benny hums in agreement. "Damn that man's got a temper on him to be able to do that to a kid."

"Okay guys I get it. I'm gonna go." Grabbing his jacket from the back of the chair he had been sitting in he makes his way to theback gate.

The Impala engine roars to life and Dean heads on his way.

xxxxxxxxx

The house is dark when Dean steps through the front door. His dad is spread out on the living room couch and he walks quietly passed him. Sam's room is dark when he walks in to find his brother passed out on his bed with his face planted in a book.

It's nothing new. Sam always gets to caught up in his schoolwork.

Carefully Dean shifts the book from under Sam's nose and lays it on the desk, careful to keep the page open to where he found it.

Once he had closed a book Sam had been working on and he hadn't heard the end of the complaining until days later.

The house is quiet as well as cold. He drapes a blanket over Sam before heading to his room. The wood floor is cool on the bottoms of his feet after he removes his shoes.

Laundry has piled up in the corner after a couple weeks of not washing anything. He really needs to get that done. Maybe tomorrow, there's no school after all.

Summers were always the worst. There was always that constant anxiety that, no matter what, Sam would be in harms way. During summer there was no way to escape, nowhere to go.

He lays on the bed in the dark. There's a lone glow in the dark star on the ceiling. Sam had put it there a few years back. Dean had to pick him up to let him stick it up there. The kid hadn't been all that tall, and he still wasn't. Maybe he'd get there soon.

He's almost asleep when the sound of something hitting the trashcans echoes outside. There a few scraping noises before silence.

Dean sits up looking at the window. Most likely it was Aaron again. The guys was a creep. By now the whole world new he had a thing for Dean Winchester.

Dean rolls his eyes and looks through the window only to find nothing. The trash cans are tipped over, the trash sprawled out across the grass, but other than that there's nothing. He opens the window and there's another noise just to the right of his window, whatever is making the noise is just out of eyesight. It almost sounds like an animal whimper.

He latches the window before slipping his shoes back on and throwing on a sweatshirt. In the hallway the floor creeks with every step and he finds Sammy wide-eyed in his own doorway.

"What was that?" He whispers.

Dean shrugs. "I'm gonna check it out."

Sam rubs his eyes that are filled with sleep and yawns. "Mmm'kay, just be careful."

"You know me."

"Yeah that's what's worrying." He drifts back over to his bed and lays down. "'S probably just your boyfriend."

Good to know even if tired his little brother still had his abnoxious side. Dean rolls his eyes. "Then there's nothing to worry about. Just go back to sleep."

He looks over his brother one more time and shuts the bedroom door before tiptoeing into the living room.

John's still passed out on the couch. Which isn't suprising.

The front door doesn't squeak like the back door so the house stays silent. The air outside is fresh and cool. Crickets chirp in the underbrush around the house as owls scwak in the forest around the neighborhood.

Other than that it's quiet. That's when he knows somethings off. Aaron is never a great sneaker and Dean can always sense him. This time there is nothing.

The side of the house that the sound came from is overgrown. School has made it almost impossible for any lawn work to be done so the foliage simply ran it's course. Dean notices a trail by the metal garbage cans where the grass has been stomped down. He kneels down and pulls out his phone for a flashlight.

Right away he notices a few drops of maroon colored liquid in the middle of the path. He touches them and he fingers come away from it red. He knows it's blood.

There's a whimper coming from a few feet in front of him and he raises the light toward the sound.

Dean's eyes take a moment to adjust. The very first thing that he sees it feathers. They tremble in place under the light.

He creeps toward what seems to be a mound if black feathers. So far he can't tell what they are attached to. Without thinking he reaches for them and runs his hand across them.

They're soft and warm. In a flash the feathers move and Dean's caught off guard as teeth latch on to his pinky finger.

With a yelp he jumps back and his phone flys from his hand. He looks down at the blood coming from his hand and sucks on it before looking back at what almost took his hand off. "Holy shit." Dean's voice is bearly a whisper in his throat.

Blue eyes stare wide eyed at him. There's a touch of his blood on the human-like creatures lip.

He looks like a normal person except for two giant black wings that sprout from his back.

Dean cant move. His glaze is captured in the blue eyes of the thing looking dead at him. He's not sure what to do.

For a while neither of them move. Neither of them even breathe in fear of eachother.

Slowly Dean lifts up a hand in an etempt to show that he means no harm. The thing slinks back in fear and growls low in its throat. "I don't want to hurt you." Dean keeps his hand up, but doesn't move.

There's curiosity in the creatures eyes and Dean can tell that it doesn't want to hurt him either. The things wings carefully start to uncurl from around his body making him look bigger. Dean can't see very well since his phone was thrown, but he feels it when a hand touches his.

Fingertip to fingertip, palm to palm. The things hands are cold and Dean gasps a little at the contact.

He sits up more and reaches for his phone which he sees out of the corner of his eye.

He turns the light back on and his eyes take a moment to adjust. Suprisingly the hand stays in his.

He can see better with the light. The creature isn't wearing anything and Dean can count each rib in his body. His hands are boney and his arms are like sticks. How long has it been since this thing had food?

"What are you?"

The thing cocks his head and takes back his hand. He almost has as good of puppy eyes as Sam. Almost. He points to himself "C-Castiel."

"That's your name?"

Castiel nods his head and looks up in panic when a car drives down the road.

For the first time Dean notices where the blood he had found earlier was coming from. There's a bullet hole next to his collar bone and a cut running down his leg. It looks deep and both look infected. Blood had already pooled around were they were sitting. It was enough to make it concerning.

Much as Dean expected the creature sways where he's squatting in the grass and almost falls before supporting himself with one giant wing.

This was going to be a long night.


End file.
